Clock regulating apparatus



ec. 17, 1968 A. J. LITTLE CLOCK REGULATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 17, 1966 jyyzjvroz AM [n United States Patent 3,416,304 CLOCK REGULATING APPARATUS Arthur J. Little, Springfield, Ill., assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Filed Feb. 17, 1966, Ser. No. 528,219 15 Claims. (Cl. 5885.5)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A regulator adjustment apparatus having a planet gear rotatably carried by an occasional gear and both coupled to the reset shaft through respective pinion gears. The planet gear is rotated to alter the regulator adjustment, while rotation of the occasional gear serves to both reset the clock mechanism and disengage the planet gear from its reset pinion gear to limit the adjustment. Thereafter the clock mechanism rotates the occasional gear to a predetermined position for reengaging the planet gear with its pinion gear. The reset shaft may be located in various positions along an arc about the axis of the pinion gears to permit variations in the distance between the reset shaft and the clock hand shaft to accommodate styling changes Without major alterations.

This invention relates in general to clock regulators, and more particularly to an improved automatically operated car clock regulator.

In the conventional clock, an escapment mechanism controlled by a reciprocating balance wheel serves to govern the rate at which the clock hands are moved. The reciprocation rate or frequency at which the balance Wheel moves in turn depends on an associated hairspring whose effective length is adjusted to control the rate at which the clock operates. If the clock runs slow, it is necessary to regulate the clock by decreasing the effective length of the spring; or, if the clock runs fast, it is necessary to increase the effective length of the hairspring. This is normally accomplished by pinning the hairspring at one end and moving a regulator having a narrow, confining slot through which the spring passes. Moving the slot along the spring in turn controls the effective length of the spring.

For automatically regulating the clock, the usual practice is to increase or decrease the effective length of the hairspring in response to the resetting of the clock hands, with the'change in effective length of the hairspring being related to the angular change necessary to set the clock hands in their proper position. Changing the hairspring length in correspondence with small changes in the clock hand position is practical; however, large changes in the clock hand position generally indicate a failure to wind the clock rather than maladjustment of the hairspring length. One problem, therefore, in automatic regulation is the need to limit the adjustment in the length of the hairspring to a predetermined value irrespective of a large change in the position of the clock hands.

Additional problems arise from the need to prevent excessive regulation in the event the clock is reset at frequent intervals and from the need to reduce the actual change in the hairspring length to a small fraction of the movement of the reset shaft necesary to alter the position of the clock hands.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for limiting regulation of the hairspring to a predeterminedvalue, while permitting large resetting movement of the clock hands.

It is another object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus permitting clock regulation only after the elapse of a predetermined time interval or predetermined movement of the clock hands from a previous regulation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide improved automatic regulating apparatus for a clock in which large movements of the reset shaft are translated into small changes in the clock rate.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an economical, accurate, automatic regulating apparatus for a clock.

Another problem in clock regulating apparatus arises from differences in the position of the reset shaft for various clock styles with respect to the standardized position of the clock hand shafts. To accommodate the variations in distance between the reset and clock hand shafts, the usual practice is to employ different automatic regulator assemblies for transmitting movement between the reset shaft and th clock hand drive shafts over the various distances.

It is, therefore, another object of the present invention to provide a regulator assembly enabling a wide variety of reset shaft positions to be accommodated economically and efiiciently.

Other objects and features of this invention will become apparent on examination of the following specification, claims and drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of an automatic regulator assembly incorporating the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1 together with the relevant portion of the hairspring and balance wheel assembly;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view in FIG. 2.

In the drawings an automatic regulator assembly for use with a car clock is illustrated by the reference character 10. The assembly 10 includes a front plate 12 and an interim plate 14.

A brushing 16 is supported adjacent the center of the front plate 12 for journalling a hollow minute hand shaft 18, as best seen in FIG. 2. The shaft 18 carries the clock minute hand, not shown, and the clock second hand shaft, not shown, passes through both the bushing 16 and shaft 18.

The minute hand shaft 18 caries a minute wheel 20, which is clutch-connected by a spring clutch 22 to the shaft 1 8. The minute wheel 20 and shaft 18 are driven in one direction through a main spring, not shown, by a conventional drive pinion 24 indicated in FIG. 1. The rate at which the minute wheel and shaft are driven or operated is governed by an escapement typified by a hairspring 26 and a balance wheel 27 below plate 12, as seen in FIG. 2. The hairspring and balance wheel are carired on a shaft 28 which is journalled in a jeweled bearing stud 28 extending through plate 12.

A pinion gear 30 is formed on the shaft 18 and meshes with a transfer gear 32 formed on a transfer shaft 34 journalled in plates 12 and 14. The transfer shaft 34 has another gear 36 formed thereon, which meshes with an hour gear 38 formed on a hollow hour hand shaft 40. The hour hand shaft 40 is journalled on the minute hand shaft 18 and is driven from gears 30, 32, 36 and 38 to move the clock hour hand, not shown.

The transfer gear 32 is also arranged to be driven during reset operations by an occasional gear 42 journalled on a regulator shaft 44. A blank portion 46, however, is provided along the periphery of gear 42 so that when the blank portion 46 is positioned or aligned opposite gear 32, rotation of gear 32 by gear 42, or vice versa, is avoided. The gear 42 in turn is driven by a pinion gear 48 and a taken along the line 44 set of offset teeth 50 on gear 42 aligned with and continuous with the blank portion 46 permits rotation of gear 42 by gear 48 despite the blank portion 46.

A cutout portion 52 is formed in occasional gear 42 to define an arcuate spring finger 54 having a dimple 56 that engages with the portion of stud 29 projecting through plate 12. The spring finger 54 stifles vibrations to prevent inadvertent movement of gear 42 and portion 46 from alignment opposite gear 32, as such movement would result in meshing of the gears 32 and 42 between reset operations.

A plurality of spindles 58, 60 and 62, projecting at spaced positions from one face of gear 42 are also provided on gear 42. One of the spindles 60 carries a planet pinion or gear 64, which engages a pinion 66 only when the blank portion 46 of gear 42 is positioned opposite gear 32. Pinion 64 also engages with and normally idly rotates about the periphery of a sun gear 68 formed on regulator shaft 44 without rotating gear 68. When pinion 64 is rotated by gear 66, however, pinion 64 rotates gear 68 and shaft 44 under the independent force of gear 66.

Gears 48 and 66 are, together with a pinion 70, located on a pinion shaft 72 journalled in plates 12 and 14 with the gears '48 and 70 being integrally formed on shaft 72. The gears 48, 66 and 70 are driven from a pair of gears 74 and 76 carried on a manually operted reset shaft 78 journalled in plate 14. The gears 74 and 76 engage with gears 70 and 66, respectively, but are biased in one direction by a spring 80 so as to be normally disengaged from gears 70 and 66 until the reset shaft 78 is manually operated in the direction of arrow 82 to engage the gears. Rotation of the reset shaft '78 thereafter drives gears 74 and 76 to rotate gears 70, 66 and 48.

As seen in FIG. 2, the regulator shaft 44 has an end which protrudes beyond the plate 12, and a gear 84 is formed thereon. The gear 84 meshes with a gear segment of a regulator 86, which is frictionally restrained by a friction washer 88. Regulator 86 is carried on stud 29. An arm 90, formed on regulator 86 has a restricting slot through which one end of hairspring 26 passes so that the position of regulator 86 defines the effective length of a hairspring 26 in a conventional manner.

It will be appreciated that various types of escapements may be used including an electrical or electronic circuit instead of a conventional hairspring and balance wheel for controlling the rate at which the clock perates. In this case the gear 84 on regulator shaft 44 controls the position of a potentiometer arm used in such circuit instead of the position of arm 90; however, the principles of the present invention are applicable thereto.

In resetting the clock, the shaft 78 is moved axially in the direction of arrow 82 to engage gears 74 and 76 with gears 70 and 66, respectively. Rotation of shaft 78, thereafter rotates gears 70, :66 and 48. With planet gear 64 engaged with gear 66, gear 64 is rotated independently of gear 42 to rotate gear 68.

Gear 68 in turn rotates regulator shaft 44 to move the regulator 86 and alter the effective length of the hairspring 26. The change in length corresponds to the direction in which the reset shaft 78 is rotated and in turn depends on the direction in which the clock hands are to be moved for securing the proper time indication. The degree of regulation should not exceed typically 20 or 25 seconds per day for a five minute change in the position of the clock hands. This regulation is secured because of the small change of the hairspring length for large movement of the reset shaft 78.

The small differential movement of gear 64 with respect to gears 42 and 66 ensures that gear 68 moves through only a small increment for large movement of gear 64, while the ratios between gears 64 and 68 and between gear 84 and the gear segment of regulator 86 provide further reduction in any movement of the arm 90. It will be understood that if shaft 78 is rotated through an are insufficient to disengage gears 66 and 64, the regulation of hairspring 26 is less than the typical 20 or 25 seconds by an amount corresponding to the reduced are through which gears 66 and 64 are moved.

In the meantime gear 48 rotates gear 42 to move portion 46 from its position of alignment opposite gear 32 to engage the teeth of the two gears 42 and 32. Gears 66 and 64 become disengaged shortly thereafter to ensure that regulation does not exceed the typical 20 or 25 seconds for a five minute change in the position of the clock hands.

The rotation of gear 42, under control of the reset shaft 78, thereafter rotates gear 32 to drive the minute hand shaft 18 through pinion 30 and the hour hand shaft 40 through gears 36 and 38 and thereby reset the clock hands to the desired time. During the reset operation, while the time indicating shafts 18 and 40 and time indicating gears 30, 32, 36 and 38 are driven by gear 42, the spring clutch 22 serves to allow the minute wheel 20 to slip relative the shaft 18 so that the reset operation does not affect the escapement.

When the reset operation is completed, shaft 78 is released and spring disengages gears 74 and 76 from gears 70 and 66. The change of effective length in hairspring 26 then functions to control the clock at an adjusted rate through the minute wheel gear 20, which drives gear 32 and the hour wheel gear 38. Gear 32 also drives gear 42 until the toothless portion 46 is again aligned oppposite therewith. Portion 46 must preferably take at least six hours before it is aligned with gear 32 and at that time gear 64 is again aligned with gear 66. Since gear 64 is disengaged from gear 66 during this six hour period, no further regulation occurs, and gear 64 simply idles about gear 68 without moving gear 68 or changing the length of spring 26.

If a second reset operation of shaft 78 takes place while gears 42 and 32 are engaged and before portion 46 is aligned opposite gear 32, gear 64 will not be in a position to engage gear 66 and, therefore, no regulation of the hairspring occurs although resetting of the clock hands occurs as previously explained. The resetting movement or time interval between regulations is dependent on the ratio of gears 32 and 42 and may be conveniently chosen to provide, for example, either 6, 12 or 24 hours between each regulation.

As previously noted, three spindles 58, 60 and 62 are provided on gear 42 for carrying gear 64. The choice of which spindle to carry gear 64 is dependent on the distance between the axis of bushing 16 and the axis of the reset shaft 78. Although the clock mechanisms are standard, this distance often varies to accommodate styling changes as the interim plate, which supports the dial, and the reset shaft are altered in accordance with the desired style change. This in turn may necessitate changes in the regulator.

In the disclosed arrangement, however, when gear 64 is located on spindle 60, and shaft 72, together with gears 48, 66 and 70, are set in the position shown with respect to the plates 12 and 14, the need for such changes are minimized. The reset shaft 78 may then be located in various positions along an arc 92 about the shaft 72 and the distance of the reset shaft to the axis of bushing 16 can vary accordingly without requiring changes in the regulator assembly 10. Only the aperture in the interim plate for journalling shaft 78 need be chosen to provide the required distance. For other distances between the shaft 78 and the axis of bushing 16, gear 64 may be located on spindle 62. In this case, shaft 72 carrying gears 70 and 66 is journalled in aperture 94 and the reset shaft 78 located anywhere along the are 96. For still other distances gear 64 can be located on spindle 58. Therefore, an infinitely variable range between typically .665" and 1.040" is provided from bushing 16 to the reset shaft 78. If longer distances are to be provided, enlarged gears such as 70 and 66 are appropriately located and used.

The foregoing comprises a description of an improved automatic regulating apparatus for a clock whose inventive concepts are believed set forth in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination for use in a clock having an escapement controlling the rate at which said clock operates, the improvement comprising manually operable reset means for resetting the time indicated by said clock, a first gear having first axis and second axis of rotation, and means operated by said clock for rotating said gear about said second axis for positioning said gear in engagement with said reset means and thereafter maintaining said gear engaged with said reset means whereafter operation of said reset means rotates said engaged gear about said first axis for altering said rate and rotates said gear about said second axis for disengaging said first gear from said reset means to limit the total alteration of said rate.

2. The combination claimed in claim 1 in which said means rotated by said clock is effective after said gear is disengaged from said reset means for rotating said gear about said second axis until said gear is again engaged with said reset means.

3. In the combination claimed in claim 1, a second gear carrying said first gear for rotation about said second axis and operated by said reset means for disengaging said first gear from said reset means.

4. A clock regulator combination for use in controlling the effective length of a clock hairspring governing the rate at which a clock mechanism is driven to indicate time, the improvement comprising a first gear rotatable by said clock mechanism to a predetermined position only and rotatable independently of said clock mechanism for resetting the time indicated by said clock, a planet gear carried by said first gear for rotation therewith and for rotation independently of said first gear, means controlled in response to the independent rotation of said planet gear for adjusting the effective length of said hairspring in accordance with the direction and are through which said planet gear is independently rotated, and means operable for rotating said planet gear independently of said first gear only in response to said first gear being in said predetermined position.

5. The combination claimed in claim 4, in which the rotation of said first gear from said predetermined position independently of said clock mechanism to reset said time enables said first gear to be thereafter rotated by said clock mechanism to said predetermined position.

6. In the combination claimed in claim 4, a reset shaft for rotating said first gear independently of said clock mechanism with said reset shaft located in any one of a plurality of positions lying along an arc of constant radius.

7. The combination claimed in claim 6, in which said reset shaft carries said means for independently rotating said planet gear.

8. The combination claimed in claim 4, in which said means for independently rotating said planet gear comprises a reset shaft, and means on said first gear for carrying said planet gear in any one of a plurality of spaced positions for enabling said reset shaft to be optionally positioned in any of a plurality of positions.

9. The combination claimed in claim 4, in which said planet gear is independently rotated during a complete rotation of said first gear for adjusting the effective length of said hairspring by an amount corresponding to no more than 25 seconds.

10. A combination for use in a clock having a hairspring whose effective length controls the rate at which the mechanism of said clock drives the shafts of the clock hands through a gear train, the improvement comprising a clutch interconnecting said mechanism with said gear train, an occasional gear engaged with one gear of said gear train for rotation in response to the driving of said gear train by said mechanism, a blank portion on the periphery of said occasional gear to prevent rotation of said occasional gear by said one gear in response to said blank portion being rotated into alignment with said one gear, a planet gear rotatably carried by said occasional gear, a sun gear engaging said planet gear with said sun gear remaining stationary responsive to the rotation of said planet gear about the axis of said occasional gear in response to said mechanism driving said occasional gear, means operated in response to the rotation of said sun gear for altering the effective length of said hairspring in accordance with the angular displacement of said sun gear and the direction of said displacement, a rotatable reset shaft positioned for engaging said planet gear only when said blank portion is in alignment with said one gear for rotating said planet gear and said sun gear for altering said length, and means for rotating said occasional gear in response to rotation of said reset shaft to disengage said blank portion from said one gear and for rotating said one gear and shafts to set the hands of said clock, while said clutch enables said mechanism to slip relative said gear train.

11. In the combination claimed in claim 10, means for locating said planet gear in any one of a plurality of positions on said occasional gear.

12. The combination claimed in claim 10 in which said reset shaft is located in any one of a plurality of positions lying on an are having a constant radius.

13. A combination for use in a clock of the type having a mechanism for driving a set of clock hands through a clutch to indicate the time and a hairspring whose effective length governs the rate at which said clock mechanism drives said hands, the improvement comprising first means driven with said hands through said clutch by said clock mechanism to a predetermined position only and driven independently of said clock mechanism for driving said clock hands only when said means is in another position to alter the indicated time with said clutch enabling said means to slip relative said mechanism, a planet gear carried by said means for rotation about two spaced axes, means engaging said planet gear for adjusting the effective length of said hairspring and operated by said planet gear only in response to said planet gear rotating about one of said axes at a rate independent of the rate of rotation about the other axis, a pinion gear engaging said planet gear only when said means is in said predetermined position to rotate said planet gear at a rate independent of the rotation of said planet gear about said other axis for controlling said means to adjust the effective length of said hairspring in accordance with the direction of rotation of said planet gear and the arc through which said planet gear is rotated, and means for independently driving said first means to alter the indicated time in response to said first means being driven to said other position with said pinion gear being disengaged from said planet gear in response to the rotation of said planet gear about said other axis.

14. A combination for resetting the time indicated by a clock having a shaft driven by the clock mechanism and carrying a clock hand to indicate the time, the improvement comprising a gear, means coupling said gear to said shaft for enabling either said shaft to drive said gear or said gear to drive said shaft, means effective in one position of said gear for preventing either said shaft from driving said gear or said gear from driving said shaft, a reset shaft, means rotatable about one axis and coupling said reset shaft to said gear whereby said reset shaft may be located in any one of a plurality of positions each having a constant distance from said one axis and a different distance from said clock shaft for driving said gear from said one position to another position whereafter said gear drives said clock shaft to alter the time indicated by said hand.

15. A combination for resetting the time indicated by a clock having a shaft driven by the clock mechanism and carrying a clock hand to indicate the time, the improvement comprising a gear, means coupling said gear to said shaft for enabling either said shaft to drive said gear 7 or said gear to drive said shaft independently of said mechanism, and a reset shaft located at any one of a plurality of positions each having a different distance from said shaft and lying along an arc having a constant radius from the axis of said gear.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,858,029 10/1958 Rabinow 58-855 8 Lux 58-855 Rabinow 58-855 Van Horn 58-85.5 Van Horn 58-855 Kolodziej 58-855 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

G. H. MILLER, JR., Assistant Examiner. 

